by Rose J. Bell
She left Andrea’s room and looked at the clock. It was seven o’clock in the evening.
Not much longer, and Rosa would betray the hunter clan.
“Ice princess!” Colin called and stepped through the door. Valerie followed him with a cigarette between her lips.
“It felt like a lifetime, since we last saw you.”
Rosa smiled and hugged him. “It was a lifetime, Colin.”
After she was back from Vancouver, she hadn’t seen Colin or Valerie. It was a good feeling to see her friends again.
“Val,” Rosa said, after she stepped out of Colin’s arms. “No smoking in my house.”
Before Valerie can save her cigarette, Rosa took it out of her lips.
Valerie glared at her. “I hate you, Rosa.”
Rosa took a drag before she threw it away. “I love you, too, Val.” Then they sat down on the couch in her living room.
“And Rosa how was Vancouver?” Colin asked as he put his feet on the table. Valerie laid her legs on Rosa’s lap and took a new cigarette out of her pocket.
“No smoking, Val,” Rosa said to her again.
“Come on! Just one,” Valerie replied and smiled.
“Okay,” Rosa sighed.
She started to tell her friends what had happened in Vancouver. She told them everything except the things that happened between her and Jason.
“Wow, Rosa. Now you’re a full member. Congratulations,” Colin said and smiled. Rosa smiled back at him.
“When will you get your license?” Valerie asked and blew her cigarette smoke into Rosa’s face.
Rosa grimaced and waved with her hand. “I don’t know. He just says I’ll get it soon.”
“Then you should do it,” Valerie said. “You will then get paid for killing the shadow creatures.”
She would get money by killing shadow creatures who were humans.
That didn’t sound very … nice.
The sentence that Lord Constantine had said to her in the forest came to mind—Really, Rosa? You don’t have any respect towards yourself. You kill people senselessly. Every day.
She hadn’t really realized it until her punishment, but now she did.
She looked at Colin. “Colin, do you think we’re doing the right thing by following the orders of the hunter clan and killing humans?”
Colin blinked surprised, and opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out.
Valerie sat down and leaned forward. “Where’s this question coming from, Rosa?” she asked.
Rosa faced her friend. “I’m just asking.”
Colin frowned. “I really don’t know what to say, Rosa. Isn’t it the right thing? The hunter clan always tells us that we’re doing the right thing.”
Rosa nodded thoughtfully. “Yeah, they always tell us.”
That was the problem. Since her birth, Rosa lived among hunters and their opinions of the angels and shadow creatures.
She hadn’t any other chance to share their opinions. She didn’t learn anything else than what the hunter clan had taught her.
The hunter clan practically brain washed Rosa and her friends—and all the other hunters. She just didn’t have any chance of escape.
“Of course it isn’t the right thing, guys,” Valerie said looking at Rosa and Colin. “Hunters are killing humans because they don’t want them.”
“Why have you never told us this?” Rosa wanted to know.
Valerie drew a tap. “Because the hunter clan would have killed me for that. I wanted to tell you, but I knew if I had told you I wouldn’t just put my life in danger, but yours, too. I couldn’t allow that.”
Rosa understood Valerie, and she wasn’t mad at her for not telling her before.
Her discretion came a little too late, and it didn’t mean anything. Rosa couldn’t leave the hunter clan, if she didn’t want to die.
“Did you find the plan of the Nephilim?” Valerie asked.
Colin was still frowning. Obviously, he was still thinking about what Valerie had told them, but now he leaned forward.
“Yeah, that I would like to know, too,” he said. “Because of that Nephilim you’ve committed a betrayal.”
Rosa grimaced. “Thanks for reminding me.”
Colin smiled.
“And?” Valerie urged her.
Rosa took a deep breath. She wanted to tell her friends the truth.
“Yes, I found out the plan,” she began. Colin and Valerie opened their mouth to say something, but Rosa lifted her hand to keep them silent. “But things have turned in a different direction than I had originally expected.”
Valerie arched an eyebrow. “We’re listening.”
Taking another deep breath, Rosa began to tell: that she had fallen in love with Jason, and that she wanted to help him, that he had changed her life.
Colin and Valerie looked at her in silence, when Rosa had finished. She swallowed and used all her will power not to hide behind something.
She, who hated the angels so much, had fallen in love with one, and had broken yet another rule.
Colin spoke first. “Wow, I hadn’t expected this, but if he makes you happy, Rosa, then you shouldn’t be embarrassed because you love the enemy.”
“I agree with Colin,” Valerie stated as she looked at Rosa gently.
“You’ve lost so much, Rosa, by entering the hunter clan; not just your dad, but your life, too. I think you deserve to be happy, finally.”
Suddenly tears welled up in her eyes. She was stupid for thinking that her friends would blame her for her love of an angel.
“You guys are so amazing,” Rosa said, trying to hold back the tears. Colin and Valerie hugged her.
“But I can’t be with him,” Rosa said and sighed sadly. “Not until I leave the hunter clan, which will maybe happen never.”
“Someday you will be with him, Rosa,” Colin said to her and smiled. “Someday you can call him your boyfriend without getting killed by this wish. Someday you will have your happy ending. Because love doesn’t know any limits, love doesn’t know any rules or enemies. Love is just the thing that the heart wants—and love will always find its way to come out.”
Exactly one o’clock in the morning Rosa and Jason met, like they’d arranged it.
After Valerie and Colin had gone, Jason had informed her about the plan and disappeared quickly. To pass the time, Rosa had talked with Matt on phone and had tried to sleep a little, but her excitement didn’t allow much rest.
She couldn’t think of anything else, other than to free Jasmine.
In the forest behind the academy, Jason and his friends were waiting. Rosa wore her hunting outfit. Her mask she left home. In this case, she didn’t need to hide her face.
Jason smiled at her as she stopped before them. Rosa nodded. She was now the serious hunter.
“Only we four will attack the academy?” Rosa asked, raising her eyebrows. Her eyes wandered from Jason to Philip and to the girl that seemed familiar to her.
“No,” Jason replied. “The others are waiting for my command.”
Rosa nodded and looked at the girl. “I know you from somewhere.”
“I’m ... was a hunter. We’ve seen each other around,” she replied and held out her hand. “I’m Milena.”
“Rosa.” Rosa clapped her hand in Milena’s and shook it.
Rosa turned to Jason again. “Jason, I know where Jasmine is.”
His eyes lit up. “What? Really?”
“Yes. I just have to steal the key and we can deliver her. Philip and Milena, you will try to get the book while Jason and I free Jasmine. Got it?”
All three of them nodded.
“Do you really want to betray the hunter clan?” Philip asked. He eyed her skeptically.
“Obviously. Otherwise I wouldn’t be standing in front of you.”
Philip nodded and smiled a little.
“So then we go,” Jason said.
They marched off. With each step Rosa’s excitement increased, but with
that her guilt increased, too.
I’m doing the right thing. This time I am doing the right thing, she told herself.
They stopped when the Academy came into view.
“Tell your angels they can attack,” Rosa said to Jason. He nodded and squeezed her hand. She had taken a sip of her magic potion, so she could touch Jason, if she needed.
“Well, let’s betray the hunter clan again,” Rosa murmured to herself.
Before they entered the academy, hell broke out in seconds.
Several angels jumped through the window into the academy. The alarms began to ring.
Immediately hunters stormed out of the room, and began to fight against the angels.
Rosa nodded to Philip and Milena. They nodded back and ran off. Jason wasn’t behind her. He was fighting with a hunter, who had attacked him.
Rosa didn’t have to wait long for her attacker.
The Nephilim attacked her, his fists flying directly to her face. She reacted instantly. Rosa dodged under his arm and punched him in the stomach. He grunted but didn’t lose his balance.
He attacked her again. Rosa bent down to avoid his punch, but at the same time, his knee hit her in the face. A huge pain spread through her face as she saw stars for a moment.
The Nephilim grabbed her by the hair. With an angry cry, Rosa supported herself with her hands on the ground; she heaved her foot, kicking him in the stomach, over and over.
He gasped and let go of her. With another kick, she shoved him on the ground. Without hesitation, she stabbed her dagger in his heart.
Directly, the next Nephilim attacked her. Rosa blocked his attacks. She was in rage. The adrenaline was pumping through her veins. When she killed the Nephilim, she saw how the angel had killed her father in front of her eyes.
Rosa killed the other Nephilim, too.
And she wanted to kill more. She was in a frenzy.
Concentrate, Rosa! You’re not here to kill every Nephilim! You’re here to help Jason, her inner voice told her.
Rosa shook her head to get out of the frenzy. Her inner voice was right. She needed to help Jason.
Then Rosa kept an eye out for Jason. He was fighting against two hunters. Rosa hurried to help him.
With the handle of her dagger, she struck the one hunter on the head, knocking him unconscious.
Bad conscience plagued her when she beat her own people unconscious. She consoled herself with the thought that she was doing the right thing.
“Are you okay?” Jason asked her breathless. Rosa only nodded. Her face still ached from the blow and warm blood was running down her jaw.
“Let’s go to the cells!” Rosa said to Jason.
Rosa ran ahead, Jason followed her closely. Angels and hunters were still fighting with each other.
When Rosa came into the entrance to the dungeon, she found that the guard wasn’t there.
Shit! What do I do now?
“What’s going on?” Jason looked at her. His face was sweaty and hurt.
“The guard is gone! He had the keys to the cell! Damn it.” She placed her hand on her forehead. “I’m so stupid! I should have taken the key earlier.”
Jason grabbed her arms. “Hey, it isn’t bad. I have a weapon. Do you think that we can open the lock with a gun?”
“Yeah, I think so,” Rosa said.
“Then we’ll try.”
She nodded and they ran down the stairs to the dungeons. Her eyes took a while to get used to the darkness.
“Follow me,” she said to Jason over her the shoulder.
“Okay.”
It seemed like a long time for Rosa to reach the wall. Finally, they stopped in front of the wall. Jason looked at her with a quizzical look.
“We need to push the wall,” she told him, placing her hands on the wall.
Jason quickly understood what to do, and together they pushed. Rosa crawled through the gap and ran to the cell. Jason followed her.
“She’s here,” Rosa said, pointing at the heavy metal door.
Jason slammed his fists against the steel door. “Jasmine! Can you hear me? Jasmine!”
“Jason,” a faint voice came from the door.
Jason sighed in relief, and he touched the door with his forehead. “Yes, I’m here. I will get you out of here. Get away from the door.”
A slight “okay” was to be heard.
Jason stepped back and pulled out his gun. He pointed it at the locks. With five shots, he broke the lock. He put the gun down again and opened the steel door.
“Jasmine,” he whispered, and a petite girl fell into his arms.
“Oh God, Jason!” his sister sobbed. “I thought you’d never come.”
He stroked her hair. “You should never think something like that. I would never leave you.” He kissed her hair. “I’ve missed you so much. I love you, kiddo.”
“I love you, too.” Jasmine was crying on his shoulders.
This scene touched Rosa’s heart. It was heart wrenching to see the two siblings, but they needed to get out of here
“We need get out of here,” Rosa said.
Jason nodded. “Can you walk, Jas?” His voice was so loving and caring.
“I think so,” said Jasmine, and stood up on wobbly legs. Her black hair was matted and dirty. The clothes she was wearing had seen better days, and her face was haggard and pale, but the similarity between Jason and her was unmistakable.
“You’re twins,” Rosa said surprised. And she recognized Jasmine. It was the same girl on the photo in Jason´s apartment.
Jason looked at her, smiling. She had never seen him so happy.
“Yes, we are.” Then he looked softly at his sister. “But I’m seven minutes older.”
Jasmine smiled at him then she began to cough, until her body shook.
“Let’s get out of here quickly,” said Jason.
Rosa went ahead again. She closed the wall with Jason’s help, and they walked to the exit.
Suddenly the guard appeared. His eyes flicker from her to Jason.
“Don’t move!” he warned.
Rosa rolled her eyes. “You know, you’ve got bad timing. Where were you when I needed you?”
The supervisor frowned in confusion. Rosa lifted her foot and kicked him on the chest. His weapon flew through the air and landed on the floor. He lunged at her. With another kick to the face, he slumped to the floor.
Rosa had to kill him, even though she didn’t want to. He’d seen that she had helped Jason. The guard could betray her, and she couldn’t allow this.
Quickly, she killed him with her dagger and turned to Jason. Jasmine was looking at her with wide eyes.
“Come,” Rosa said, shoving the guilt to the back of her mind. She knew what Jasmine was now thinking of her. A cold and cruel murderer.
As they walked up the stairs, the smell of smoke hit Rosa. Thick smoke had filled the entrance hall of the Academy. In some places fire was burning.
“Bring Jasmine out of here,” Rosa said.
“But what about you? I cannot leave you here alone.” His face was full of concern.
She smiled at him. “I’ll be alright, Jason. Don’t worry. They shouldn’t see us together.”
“You’re right. Be careful.” Then he disappeared with his sister in the smoke.
Rosa waited a few minutes. She heard the crackle of the fire that was eating the wood.
“Rosa,” said a familiar voice. She turned toward the direction where she had heard the voice. Because of the smoke she could not see who it was, but the voice, she knew it was Colin. Colin? What he was doing here? She had told him not to come to the hunter clan.
His shadow ran down the stairs. At the same moment when he stepped onto the last step, something exploded to the left side of him.
The force of the explosion was so powerful that it hurled Rosa. She hit the wall hard with her back.
Dazed, she slumped to the floor.
Where the explosion had come from, now high flames loomed. The flam
e ate itself like a wild animal through the wood.
Get up, Rosa!
With difficulty, Rosa stood up. The smoke had become thicker, so she couldn’t see anything anymore.
“Colin?” Rosa called. No answer. She moved blindly forward.
“Colin!” she cried once more. Still no answer.
God, please, don’t let anything happen to him.
She touched the banister with her hand. Colin had to be there. Meanwhile, her nose and lungs were burning from all the smoke. Her best option was to leave and escape the smoke, but she couldn’t leave Colin behind.
With Rosa’s next step, her foot touched a body.
“Colin!”
Rosa went to her knees and leaned forward. It was Colin and he was unconscious. An open wound was on his chest, and the blood flowed from his breast.
“Oh God, Colin! Can you hear me?” Rosa shook him. Nothing.
She had to get him out of there!
Rosa removed her black training shirt. She tore the sleeves of her shirt, and tied the rest of it around his chest to stop the bleeding. Then she took Colin under his shoulder and carried him to the exit. Colin was heavy, and Rosa had to use all her strength to carry him.
Suddenly she heard a cracking sound. Beside her was a wooden beam that supported the building. It continued to creek as it started collapsing.
“Shit,” Rosa cursed. She needed to hurry up before the house collapsed.
Rosa sped up her pace, but Colin’s weight slowed her down. More and more beams fell on the floor. Rosa listened as the house creaked and groaned.
She didn’t have much more time.
Rosa reached the door. Sweat trickled down her forehead and burned in her eyes. It was stifling hot and her lungs screamed for oxygen.
She kicked the door with her foot. The first time the door didn’t opened, only when Rosa kicked it harder, did the hinges give way and allow her to exit.
Fresh, cold air blew across her face. With her last bit of strength, she heaved Colin out of the house.
The house made a loud noise and fell to the ground. Rosa protected Colin’s body with hers as the debris flew about.
For several seconds, the ground shook. Stones and shards of glass rained down on her body. The world turned into a huge gray cloud of dust.